FA Premiership/ Manchester City 2 Everton 1: When Manchester City's manager Stuart Pearce first informed the board he wanted to sign a 20-year-old Greek by the name of Georgios Samaras, the chairman, John Wardle, blankly replied: "George who?"
There have been times since then when Samaras has looked horribly overpriced at £6 million, but the striker occasionally flickers into life and his introduction at half-time yesterday was decisive in City's third successive victory.
Samaras began the match among the substitutes, having been criticised recently by Pearce, but when he was brought on for Bernardo Corradi his impact was swift and decisive.
Within five minutes he had put City ahead with a move he started and finished and, with 18 minutes remaining, he scored his second from the penalty spot after Everton's goalkeeper Tim Howard had brought down Darius Vassell.
Leon Osman offered Everton hope when he fired in a splendid goal to make it 2-1 and in a tense finish the same player then had a legitimate penalty appeal turned down after he was challenged by Sylvain Distin.
The referee, Uriah Rennie, booked Andy Johnson amid the protests and the fourth official, Graham Laws, had to restrain the visiting manager, David Moyes, after he ran from his dugout and along the touchline.
Pearce, who described as a "blatant lie" newspaper reports that Chelsea had bid £18 million for England international Micah Richards, later spoke of his belief that Samaras could become a consistent scorer.
"We didn't play at all in the first half but we looked a totally different side when he came on.
"He's still learning and he can trip over the ball sometimes but he's turned the game for us today."
The City manager was candid enough, however, to acknowledge that Distin may have got away with it and Moyes was still seething afterwards, saying Rennie's refereeing had denied his team what he felt would have been a merited draw.
Moyes also felt, with less justification, that Everton should have had a penalty when Richard Dunne shoved Johnson to the floor in the 15th minute.
All in all, Moyes's complaints would have been better directed at his players for what was a largely moribund performance until they worked up a head of steam in the final 10 minutes.
- Guardian Service
MANCHESTER CITY:Weaver, Onuoha, Dunne, Distin, Trabelsi (Miller 85), Richards, Dabo, Beasley, Jordan, Corradi (Samaras 46), Vassell. Subs not used: Isaksson, Dickov, Matthew Mills. Booked: Trabelsi, Miller.
EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Nuno Valente (Naysmith 46), Davies (McFadden 65), Carsley, Arteta, Osman, Johnson, Beattie (Anichebe 65). Subs not used: Wright, Weir. Booked: Howard, Arteta, Johnson.
Referee: U Rennie(S Yorkshire).
